Tillis and Cornyn could use their Todd Blanche leverage for good — or waste it

There is a lot of chatter about the newly coined “You Only Live Once” (YOLO) caucus. These YOLO Republicans are finishing the final months of their six-year terms, with Sen. Thom Tillis choosing retirement over another brutal primary battle and Sens. Bill Cassidy of Louisiana and John Cornyn of Texas losing their primaries to Trump-backed upstart challengers. It has been a tough summer for lawmakers who dared question the president’s whims.

President Donald Trump’s “revenge tour” had a secondary consequence: Republican senators with grievances, and a lot less to lose. But pettiness is one thing — leverage is quite another. And due to the GOP’s incredibly thin majority in the Senate, these three now have a big opportunity to do more than just spit in Trump’s eye — if they choose to take advantage.

In June, Cassidy wasted an easy opportunity when he announced his support for controversial Centers for Disease Control and Prevention nominee Dr. Erica Schwartz. Cassidy claims he backed her nomination in part after she assured him the CDC would revise language on its website related to autism and vaccines. But why didn’t he fight for more? At the very least, he could have secured a commitment to increased funding for vaccine education, given that measles cases in the U.S. have hit a 35-year high.

This week, the YOLO caucus is at the center of a different nomination drama over acting Attorney General Todd Blanche. Several days of contentious, start-and-stop negotiations culminated in Trump doubling down on his call for an anti-weaponization fund, which Cornyn and Tillis say they oppose.

Punchbowl News reported Friday that a deal might not be dead after all. But with no deal heading into the weekend, a harsh reality remains. No matter what Cornyn and Tillis decide, it’s likely Americans will either end up with a confirmed attorney general willing to do whatever Trump wants, or an acting attorney general willing to do whatever Trump wants. Even if Blanche isn’t confirmed, he can continue in his acting role indefinitely, a loophole in the congressional confirmation process.

Democrats have spent the past few days trying to come up with their best soundbites to condemn Blanche. But all eyes remain fixed on the YOLO members, for good reason.

It is easy to see why so many Democrats hope both men will permanently sink the Blanche nomination. But again, that doesn’t really accomplish anything here. Trump will likely leave Blanche in his temporary role or nominate someone else just as bad, if not worse.

Both men are in a tough position, condemned by colleagues on either side of the aisle as either traitors to their own party or weaklings willing to speak up only when their careers are no longer on the line.

Tillis and Cornyn don’t have much time left on the clock to help their states. But they aren’t total lame ducks yet. There is no reason why they shouldn’t fight to deliver something meaningful. This kind of dealmaking is done in the House of Representatives all the time. It may feel unsavory — gross even. But it can be effective. Look at what Sen. Lisa Murkowski was able to negotiate for Alaska: $50 billion in rural healthcare funding in return for a 2025 budget vote.

These men could team up for a legislative priority like increased FEMA funding, for example, something both North Carolina and Texas have a tremendous need for right now — or they could do it alone and push for any one of their many respective statewide needs. The point is, make these next few days count. Why not show your constituents what government can actually do, if you know how the game is played?

Government is not meant to be used as a tool for vengeance; it is meant to serve the best interests of the people. This might just be the last time Tillis and Cornyn will be able to do that — even if it means holding their noses and helping Republicans install Trump’s former personal lawyer in the attorney general’s office. This form of politics isn’t pretty. But if you’re only going to live once, you should at least try to make it count.

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